Burger King Ads exploit the primitive parent child relationship

Recently, advertisers have been using the precariously frustrating, and often funny, parent child relationship to help sell their products. The theme to Burger King’s current television advertisements uses this familiar relationship premise in some of their recent commercials. An adult sized Burger King Whopper and a teenaged whopper jr. are engaged in a heated argument. The father is unhappy with a choice his son is making. His son, whopper jr., is angry with his father for second guessing one of his decisions.

Burger King’s whopper jrs are selling for a dollar each. The father Whopper in the commercial is upset at his son, whopper jr., for allowing himself to be sold for such a low price. The Whopper argues that he has raised his son better than that. His son should value himself more and not sell himself so cheaply. Whopper jr is upset with his father’s accusation and lack of confidence in his choices. He accuses his father of failing to have faith in his decisions.

The entire argument is based on the premise that whopper jr’s are selling at a bargain price. The Burger King Sandwich should be priced much higher based on the value of the burger. The traditional argument between father and son is meant to evoke in consumers the idea that purchasing the whopper jr’s at such a low price is more than just a good deal, it is asinine. And since the price is so ridiculously low, the bargain may not last long. Inevitably the father’s argument will break through the son’s resistance and the naïve whopper jr will price himself closer to his actual value.